MEDIA COOL

MEDIA COOL

This months Media Cool was written by J. Kordosh, Bill Holdship, Steve Peters & Richard C. Walls.

THE DOORS LIVE AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL

(MCA Home Video)

This 1968 concert, a triumphant home-coming for the (then) newly world-class Doors, is ostensibly the only full-length color concert footage of the band in existence. Not only is the sound (particularly the vocals) sensational, the material (“Whiskey Song,” “Spanish Caravan,” “The Unknown Soldier,” “The End”) is surprisingly varied and undeniably hip. Best of all: the video demythologizes Jim Morrison—his belch during the quiet part of “When The Music’s Over” is a classic, as nice a touch as his confusion over the audience laughing at something he evidently missed. The fact is, he comes across as a regular guy, something many singers to follow him never did. The band does a lot of standing around, which is always better than doing a bunch of senseless jumping around, and everybody’s chops are in place. All in ail, a great look at a great band. «I.K.

THE LOST BOYS

(Warner Bros.)

This does Fright Night even better, and fully brings the vampire saga into the 1980s, totally redefining symbols and updating imagery. Stylistically superb, hilariously funny and extremely terrifying all at the same time, it’s the cinematic equivalent of a great roller coaster ride. The “all-star” cast (meaning you’ll recognize everyone here from somewhere else) is excellent—and the film should hold special delight for old comic book and pop culture buffs, not to mention fans of Clarence “Frogman” Henry’s “Ain’t Got No Home.” The Lost Boys is so good, in fact, you’ve probably already seen it by now. But what the hell—go see it again! B.H.

FORCED EHTRIESs THE DOWNTOWN DIARIES 1971-1973 by Jim Carroll (Penquin Books)

Writer/poet/musician/ex-junkie Jim Carroll first gained notoriety with The Basketball Diaries, a collection of autobiographical essays written when Carroll was in his early teens. Forced Entries is a sequel to Diaries, but here the adolescent narrator of the first book transforms into a mature, articulate writer. Entries documents Carroll’s unusual, often bizarre relationships with some of New York’s best and least known denizens. Now more or less part of the city’s hip crowd, he rubs elbows with folks like Andy Warhol (he was a courier for the late artist), William Burroughs, Bob Dylan and the Velvet Underground. His insightful observations on these and other encounters give this a sophisticated voice that Diaries didn’t have. When the author finally heads out for the serenity of Northern California to clean up his act, you share his enthusiasm for a future free from the restraints of drug addiction. Forced Entries gives us an engaging, sometimes shocking look at a young artist coming to terms with his surroundings and, ultimately, himself. S.P.

STAKEOUT

(Touchstone)

Just when this film is about to overwhelm you in the negative sense with its early graphic violence, machismo and gross-out antics, it shifts gears and goes straight for the heart—although it does return for the jugular again at the end with some terrific suspense devices that could define the term action film. The plot involves two detectives (Richard Dreyfuss and Emilio Estevez) assigned to watch the former girlfriend (Madeline Stowe) of a psychotic escaped convict (Aidan Quinn)—and what happens when the woman and Dreyfuss fall madly in love. Naturally, she doesn’t know his real identity—which makes for nearly two hours of some great plot twists. Stowe is absolutely wonderful and totally lovable, while Dreyfuss is such a fine actor, he’s likeable even when he’s being incredibly obnoxious. Excellent script, excellent direction (by John Badham), and highly recommended. One of the summer’s gems.B.H.

DEE SNIDER’S TEENAGE SURVIVAL GUIDE By Dee Snider & Philip Bashe (Dolphin/Doubleday)

You might think at first that Snider, the, uh, brains behind (and in front of, as lead singer) Twisted Sister, has co-authored this book as an act of atonement for having offended Tipper Gore and her merry band of hysterics—but fear not, ’cause even though this tome offers reams of useful advice on such topics as suicide, drugs, sex, and self-esteem, Snider remains engagingly smartass throughout. In fact, one might get the impression that Bashe compiled the facts (big bibliography here) and Snider just added the jokes, if it weren’t for the fact that the Twisted one incorporated big chunks of autobiographical material into his older-brotherly advice. A wonderfully non-condescending compendium of hard truths and good sense, perfect for that special perplexed youth in your life. Or his/her parents. R.C.W.

ROCK FILMS: A VIEWERS GUIDE by Linda F. Sandahl (Facts On File Publications)

This is far superior to the factually-inept Rock On Film by David Ehrenstein and Bill Reid that Delilah published several years ago, but not as good as the excellent, now out-of-print, Celluloid Rock by Philip Jenkinson and Alan Warner from the mid-’70s. Basically taking the dictionary or encyclopedic format, all the films are listed and synopsized alphabetically within three categories—“Rock Musicals,” “Documentaries & Concert Films” and “Feature Films (with a rock score).” There are factual flaws, and it doesn’t include any lengthy critical evaluations of rock’s place in the movies, etc. (Greil Marcus’s essay in Rolling Stone’s Illustrated History Of Rock is probably still the best for that), but this is still pretty exhaustive, well-researched and a nice addition to any rock library. B.H.